Police have been given more time to question a man on suspicion of the murder of vicar John Suddards in South Gloucestershire.

Stephen Farrow, 47, remains in custody after Avon and Somerset officers were granted a further warrant of detention to hold him for an additional 36 hours.

Farrow was arrested in Folkestone, Kent, on Sunday on suspicion of murdering Suddards after police launched a nationwide manhunt.

Suddards, 59, was found stabbed to death at his home in Thornbury on 14 February.

Farrow was later arrested on suspicion of murdering retired teacher Betty Yates, 77, who was stabbed to death at her cottage in Bewdley, Worcestershire, on 2 January.

An Avon and Somerset police spokeswoman said: "Police have obtained a further warrant of detention in relation to the 47-year-old man currently in custody. This warrant is for an additional 36 hours. This takes us until the early hours of Wednesday morning."

The 36-hour custody extension will be used to quiz Farrow over the deaths of both Yates and Suddards, Avon and Somerset police confirmed.

Suddards' body was found by workmen at the vicarage next to St Mary's Church in Castle Street. News of his death shocked the clergy and the close-knit community of Thornbury, 11 miles north of Bristol.

He had only taken up his post last July, having come from the diocese of Chelmsford in Essex. The former barrister moved to the area after serving at St Nicolas Church in Witham, since 2001 and before that at Great Yeldham parish, 20 miles away.

Police seized a white Citroen van at about 11.30pm on Tuesday, hours after arresting a 43-year-old man. He was later released on bail.

News of the 36-hour extension to quiz Farrow came as parishioners prepared to hold a private candlelight vigil at St Mary's Church on Monday night to remember Suddards.

Yates was found dead at the bottom of stairs at her home on the banks of the River Severn on 4 January, having been killed two days earlier. West Mercia officers investigating Yates's killing arrested and questioned a man on 2 February before he was released on bail.

Yates's son and daughter made an emotional appeal for help to bring their mother's killer to justice. Hazel Costello, with her brother David Yates, said: "We are completely bewildered as to who could carry out such a savage attack on our mother. That this should have happened in her home makes this even more difficult to bear."